Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Wake County, NC would need to be about $40,600 in Franklin County, NC, or $9,400 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Wake County, NC vs Franklin County, NC: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Franklin County, NC is cheaper than Wake County, NC.
Moving to Franklin County, NC is estimated to save $12,081 per year.
Cheaper County
Franklin County, NCSave about $12,081 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Wake County, NC is about $40,600 in Franklin County, NC.
Biggest drivers
Transport increases by $1,557 per year. Housing saves $6,678 per year.
Housing: $6,678 lower in Franklin County, NC
Taxes: $3,905 lower in Franklin County, NC
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: about the same in both counties
Food: $750 lower in Franklin County, NC
Transport: $1,557 higher in Franklin County, NC
Wake County, NC→Franklin County, NC
Equivalent salary in Franklin County, NC
$40,600
-18.8% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Wake County, NC: $128,556
Median Income in Franklin County, NC: $82,705
Living Index in Wake County, NC 49.99%
Living Index in Franklin County, NC 63.10%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Wake County, NC to Franklin County, NC.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Wake County, NC to Franklin County, NC is estimated to save $12,081 per year. A $50,000 salary in Wake County, NC would have similar purchasing power to about $40,600 in Franklin County, NC. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -18.8% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $6,678 per year lower (-34.48%); Taxes is $3,905 per year lower (-27.14%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Wake County, NC and Franklin County, NC, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 50.0% of median family income in Wake County, NC and 63.1% in Franklin County, NC. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $6,678 per year lower in Franklin County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Franklin County, NC changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $750 per year lower in Franklin County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Franklin County, NC can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $1,557 per year higher in Franklin County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Franklin County, NC.
Healthcare
Healthcare is about the same in Wake County, NC and Franklin County, NC, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Franklin County, NC changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $2,306 per year lower in Franklin County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Franklin County, NC help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Wake County, NC and Franklin County, NC, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Franklin County, NC, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $3,905 per year lower in Franklin County, NC than in Wake County, NC. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Franklin County, NC matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Franklin County, NC.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Franklin County, NC
Annual Increase:
$1,557 per year
TRANSPORT has the largest annual increase when moving to Franklin County, NC.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Franklin County, NC
Annual Savings:
$6,678 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Franklin County, NC.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -34% lower | |
| Food | -16% lower | |
| Transport | 12% higher | |
| Healthcare | 0% higher | |
| Other Costs | -31% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -27% lower |
In Franklin County, NC, modeled annual costs are $52,188 compared with $64,269 in Wake County, NC.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Franklin County, NC. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Franklin County, NC and Wake County, NC are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
